USPTO Patents Application 09980432

Appl. No. ^^Jnknown

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entitled VERSION WITH MARKINGS TO SHOW CHANGES MADE , which follows the
signature page of this Preliminary Amendment. On this set of pages, the insertions are
underlined while the d e l e tions - ar e- Btraok - threugfe . No new matter is added and the claims have
not been narrowed. Entry of the amendments is respectfully requested.

Respectfully submitted,

KNOBBE, MA^NS^OLSON & BEAR, LLP

Dated: W [ ^ / &[ By:

John M. Carson

Registration No. 34,303

Attorney of Record

620 Newport Center Drive

Sixteenth Floor

Newport Beach, CA 92660

(619) 687-8632

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VERSION WITH MARKINGS TO SHOW CHANGES MADE

IN THE SPECIFICATION:

The "Prior Art" section beginning on page 1, second paragraph, has been amended as
follows:

Description of the Related Technology PRIOR ART

Electron emissive devices (EED|) represent the devices giving — generate flows of
electrons in the-a_vacuum for various a«asp urposes : for optical imaging, for electron-beam
lithography, for lighting, etc. A cathode (an emitter) bearing the flows of electrons represents a
principal component of the devices. Thermal cathodes heated to high temperatures serve as a
classic example of such devices. However, the thermal cathodes consume a lot of energy for
their operation. In this respect, field emission cathodes (or "cold cathodes") are far more
effective devices. So-called Spindt cathodes based on molybdenum tips could serve as an
example of the field emission devices-^. Devices based on semiconductor (silicon) field
emitters £3}-are more suitable for applications du e to ch e apness o f because the materials and their
technolog y is less expensive .

Field emission devices based on silicon tips prepared from silicon whiskers (filamentary
crystals) are know n in the art -ffi- In particular, an id e a o f device that uses iag-ef-the resistance
of the silicon emitter itself as a ballast resistance, that is important for field-emission displays
(FED), has been realized in th e pat e nt [3] , In addition, the emitter was coated by diamond for
increasing of the emission ability and of its durability-^. .

This inv e ntion allows to increase the efficiency of the emission owing to the increase of
number of emitters having the same spatial coordinate. Accordingly, a given pixcell can increase
the emissivity brightness several times.

Carbon nanotubes on flat substrates used in the field emitters are known-f4}. However,
parameters of such emitters are not reproducible because distributions of electric fields between
the nanotubes is-are non-uniform due to their occasional positions.

Scanning probe microscopes (SPM) are able to fft¥e -provide images of solid surfaces with
high spatial resolutions. Using A us e ef carbon nanotubes attached to the probes is known-f^-

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However, their position at the probe is non-controllable due to their occasional and numerous
nucleations.

The SPM can be used for study of magnetic objects with a high resolution and high
sensitivity. Probe tips for the instruments are made of a non-magnetic material (such as silicon)
coated by a film of magnetic material (such as iron, cobalt, etc) [6 8] , However, both a shape
and a structure of the coatings us e d in th e pap e ro are nonoptimal for the high resolution and the
high sensitivity of the instruments.

The SPM for electrical capacitance measurements uses probes that mad e o f have silicon
tips [9,10] . However, both a shape of the tips and a composition of the capacitance material are
not optimal for high sensitivity of the instrument.

SPM probes with side tips for profile studies are known [1 1] . However, the probes are
suitable only for studies of surfaces having rather simple forms such as grooves with vertical
walls. M e antim e However , there are a lot of cases where surfaces with complicated shapes (such
as biological macromolecules) or with a coarse relief must be studied.

There are problems with mapping the spatial arrangement of chemical forces existing on
solid surfaces-fl3}.

Problems with ensuring high scanning rates in SPM devices having a single lever/probe
are known. Due to the small scanning rate, such devices are not still-broadly used in the
industry.

A multi-lever device has been proposed4n-(43}. In the device, a signal from each probe is
treated in a microchip that is placed on a holder. After treating the signal, it is applied to a
system for controlling a variety of levers. In this operation, piezoresistive layers are used.
Drawbacks of the multi-lever device are -include the following:

1. In order to realize both feeding/taking-off the levers and tracing their deflections, the
using only the piezoresistive layers is not sufficient.

2. Creation/production of the multilever devices integrated with multiplexers, operational
amplifiers, etc (that is necessary for an effective action of the multi-lever devices) represents a
very complicated and expensive technological problem.

A cantilever for a SPM, as well as techniques for a registration and for treatments of
signals obtained, are known propos e d in pat e nt [H] , In particular, a device is proposed that is
based on a measurement of change of the capacity between the lever and neighboring stationary

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plane. The device includes also a controlled action to the lever by an electrostatic interaction
between the stationary plane and the lever (Fig.). In this case, three principal tasks are solved:

-application of resonance modes to the lever when it acts in the taping mode;

-electrostatic feeding/taking-off the lever;

-control of the lever deflection by the measurement of the capacity.

However, sometimes, especially at the action of the SPM in the regime of the Claim
scanning of adhesion forces-f^, an ability of the device to ensure a fast damping of non- |
resonant oscillations, to damp the lever for its subsequent interaction with solid surface under
study is very important. Such a property of the device, as well as a suitable design of the
cantilever, can substantially (3-5 times) decrease the time of investigation of the surface.

In order to realize such a property, it is proposed in this inv e ntion to use an actuator-a part |
of the cantilever that is rigidly connected with its holder. When the probe is detached off the
surface (where it was, e. g., "captured" by the adhesion forces), non-resonant oscillations of the
lever arise. By measurements of changes of the capacity, existing between the lever and the
actuator, the oscillations are applied to the input of the system that has a negative feed-back: a
similar (by amplitude) and an opposite (in sign) signal is applied to the actuator. This results in
the non-resonant damping of the lever oscillations and, finally, in its relaxation.

Thus, in this inv e ntion, in addition to th e- approach e s - d e v e lop e d in th e pat e nt [14], w e
propos e an approach that e nsur e s a stabl e and fast action of th e - scanning - prob e' d e vic e- in - aay
r e gim e s of its work-
To this aim, w e propos e to provid e th e cantil e v e r with a s e cond e l e ctrod e that applies th e
r e sonant modes of oscillations to th e l e v e r:

In this inv e ntion, a rational d e sign of th e multi lever -and-a-nen- e*pefisive4e€hnek»gy-j'oF
its production is propos e d.

The first paragraph on page 4 has been amended as follows:

Thus, there is a need for a scanning probe device that ensures a stable and fast action in
any regimes of its work. In a preferred embodiment, the scanning probe device has a cantilever
with a second electrode that applies the resonant modes of oscillations to the lever. This
provides an advantageous design of the multi-lever and a non-expensive technology for its
production. A uniqu e n e ss of th e pr e s e nt inv e ntion consists in th e following. — In a preferred

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embodiment.

components of scanning probe devices (SPD)

such as levers, probes on them,-©*©? can be fractionized and separated from each of other by using
a new technology for preparation of tip probes. Owing to this fact, i lt is possible to form
multifunctional tip structures that allows to combine in a given device, a multilever, several
probes with various sensitive components for simultaneous implementation of morphological,
electrostatic, magnetic, and chemicalr-eter investigations.

The paragraph on page 4, line 1 has been amended as follows:

The paragraph on page 10, line 1 has been amended as follows:

A Bri e f D e scription of th e Figur e s Brief Description of the Drawings

The paragraph on page 13, line 1 has been amended as follows:

B e st V e rsion for th e R e alization of th e Inv e ntion Detailed Description of Certain
Inventive Embodiments

H:\D0CS\M0H\M0H-6484.D0C.ad
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ry of the In

Summary of Certain Inventive Aspects

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